The problem scientist had with the pluripotent method, although it worked, was that this reset epigenetic signatures of the old cell and made them like that of a younger neuron. This can become a problem when it is used to look at diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and other age related neurological diseases. This new technique is and can be very important, because by using the new method of conversion scientists are able to bypass the stem cell precursor state, and as a result create an "induced neuron".
I find this to be an amazing advancement, because as they mentioned in the article this allows researchers to identified age related changes within the brain. Which with the induced pluripotent stem cell method was more difficult because after going through that process they would end up with young neurons, which did not seem to have the same qualities as older neurons.
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